Kristin Hughes heads the Resource Circularity Pillar within the Centre for Nature and Climate, and she is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Executive Committee. As part of the pillar’s strategic focus areas, Kristin oversees the development and implementation of the strategy for industry transformation, supporting a multitude of cross-industry sectors aiming to embed circular principles to achieve greater resilience, improved business outcomes and important sustainability targets. In addition, she leads the Forum’s engagement with businesses and governments on critical materials, including how to access important metals necessary to support the shift to clean energy. Finally, Kristin leads the Global Plastic Action Partnership, a public-private platform that aims to shape a more sustainable and inclusive world through the eradication of plastic pollution. GPAP is playing a key role at the national and global level, supporting conversations in the build up to a globally binding agreement on plastic pollution and supporting government to implement tools needed to achieve the targets set within such.
Over the past twenty years Kristin has represented companies and governments, driving complex global programs focusing on sustainability, economic development, gender equity and stakeholder engagement. Focusing an approach that addresses both social and environmental impact, throughout her experience, Kristin has addressed the needs of those working in industry supply chains, improving working conditions and remediating human rights atrocities while designing sustainable, environmentally focused strategies for companies’ improved approaches to their business models.
Kristin sits on the Board of a number of non-profit and non-governmental organisations aiming to deliver her passion to support people and planet. Additionally, she is a visiting professor at a handful of universities, allowing her to engage with a diversity of voices – passing her energy onto the next generation and taking on board their perspectives to keep her approach fresh. Kristin is an environmental enthusiast in her free time as well, spending much time cycling, skiing and hiking. She has a law degree from American University, Washington College of Law and lives in London.